Tire-tightening device.



ITO-826,111. PATENTED JULY 17, 1906.

O. G. PARK. TIRE TIGHTENING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APB..12,1905:

Arromvs UNITED STATES? PATENT OFFICE.

TIRE-TIGHTENING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 17, 1906.

Application filed April 12, 1905. Serial No. 255,189.

means for tightening the tire of a vehicle by pressing the rim of awheel off the shoulder of the spokes, enabling a collar or packing to beintroduced between each shoulder and the rim, whereby the rim isexpanded to fit a slackened tire. To attain this end, a clamp isprovided which 'may be securely tightened on a spoke of the wheel andeach clamp member is provided with a rotatable eccentric or cam, whichcams may be simultaneously operated by levers, so that the movement ofthe eccentric will be transmitted to the rim of the wheel on each sideof the spoke. While this strain is on, a collar or packing may beinserted round the shoulder of the spoke. By this system oftire-tightening as the spokes are individually dealt with each one issure to be well socketed in the boss, the reaction of the outward efforton the rim tending to force the spoke downward into the boss of thewheel. The device by which this operation is performed is fullydescribed in the following specification and illustrated in the drawingswhich accompany it.

Figure 1 is a front elevation from the outer side of a wheel, showingthe application of the device; Fig. 2, a sectional plan on the line A Ain Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a side elevation, to an enlarged scale, of thespoke-clamp and the rim-engaging member, the lever-handle of one sidebeing removed and Fi .4, a detail of the eccentric-pin in each of t eclamps by which the rim-engaging members are operated.

On referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings it will be seen that the clampmembers 2 and 3 are shaped at their center to en age the flattened sidesof a spoke 7, and t eir contactsurfaces may be furnished with leather orother similar material, as at 14, so that they will not dama e thesurface of the spoke and will also enab e a tighter frictional grip tobe obtained without excessive tightening of the clamp members. The clampmembers 2 and 3 are secured together by eyebolts 4 and 5, which are eachsecured by pins in the member 2, the eye end being provided with two ormore pin-holes to enable adjustment to be made to suit varying sizes ofspoke. The flattened portion of 5 is extended toward the threaded endand passes through a corresponding aperture in the end of the clampmember 3 to which it is attached, so that when the clamp members aredisconnected at the other end they will not twist out of alinement withone another, and the end of 5 is fastened in 3 with an ordinary nut. Theend of the eyebolt 4 passes through a slot in its end of 3, so that thebolt may -be pivotally swung aside when its nut is slackened back forthe release of the clamps, and the nut is provided with a lever-handle6, by which the clamp may be readily tightened and released.

Toward the center of each clamp a hole is bored to receive a pin 8, (seeFig. 4,) having a slight head 9 on the inner side, and toward the centerof the bearing of these pins in the clamp a cam or eccentric 10 isturned, against which the lower end of a rim-engaging member 11 isseated, which member is rectangular in cross-section and passes througha similarly-shaped hole in the upper side of each clamp, being retainedtherein by a small setscrew 12, the point of which enters a groove in11, so as to allow of free vertical movement within the required limits.The upper end of each of these members 11 is enlarged, as at 13, andshaped to conform to the inner side of the rim 20 and may be furnishedwith leather, rubber, or similar material to avoid damage to the surfaceof the rim.

' The outer end of each eccentric-pin 8 is squared, as at 15, (see Figs.3 and 4,) to receive a lever-handle 16, which may be secured thereon bya washer 17 and a small screw. The levers are bent inward, as shown inFigs. 1 and 2, so that they may be operated simultaneously, and are soplaced on the pin 8 in relation to the eccentric 10 that when they areturned to the upward position, as illustrated in Fig. 3, theeccentricity of the pin is at the lowest extreme of its movement andthat the movement of the lever downward to the position shown in Fig. 1will force upward the rim-engaging members 11.

In the application of the device to expand the rim 20 of a wheel withina slack tire the eyebolts 4 and 5 are adjusted to the required length,and 4 being swung back on its pin the clamp is opened on the pin of 5and passed on to the spoke 7, the levers 16 being to the outside of thewheel and in the upward position.

The eyebolt 4 being swung into place and the clamp lifted on the spokeuntil the ends 13 are set against the rim of the wheel, the clamp istlghtened on the spoke by the levernut 6. The levers 16 are thensimultaneously pulled down, causing the eccentrics 10 of the pins 8 toforce the members 11 up, and the tire is pressed off the shoulder of thespoke to which the device is secured. The necessary thickness of collaror packing may then be inserted round the shoulder of the spoke, and thelevers 16 being lifted and the nut of the eyebolt 4 slackened the bolt 4may be swung back and the clamp may be opened for removal to anotherspoke.

- Having now particularly described my invention and the manner of itsoperation, I hereby declare that what I claim as new, and desire to berotected in by Letters Patent of the United tates, is

1. As a tire-tightening device, the clamp members 2 and 3 adjustablyconnected by the members 4 and 5, the rotatable pins 8 having eccentricportions 10 and squared ends 15 on which the levers 16 are secured, andthe-rim-en aging members 11 of rectangular cross-sectlon fitting insimilarly-shaped apertures in the upper side of the clamp members inwhich their movement is limited by set-screws and having enlargements attheir upper ends adapted to fit the rim of the wheel.

2. As a tire-tightening device, a clamp composed of two members adaptedto fit on and be secured to a spoke of a wheel, the ends of the clampmembers being adjustably connected together by members both of which arepivotally connected to one or the other of the clamping members, one ofthe clamping members bemg susceptible of being swung aside on itspivot-pin clear of the other clamping member, a rotatable pin in each ofthe clampin members having an eccentric portion wit in its bearing inthe clamp, and a squared portion on the outside of the bearin of theclamp, a handle member on the squarer i portion of said ins, and meansfor securing the handle mem er to said pin, rim-engaging membersvertically sl-idable on the upper side of the clamp members so thattheir lower ends may rest on the eccentric portion of the pins, meansfor tightening the clamp members on the spoke, said handle members beingarranged to rotate the pins so that the movement of the eccentricportions thereof may be imparted to the rim-enga ing mernbers and to therim, substanti-aly as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES C. PARK.

Witnesses:

ROWLAND BRITTAI-N, FREDA QUINN.

